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Virgin and Child with the Saints Catherine and Barbara

Unknown

1550

From the collection of Statens Museum for Kunst

Religious

Dominant colour

Virgin and Child with the Saints Catherine and Barbara is a 1550 by Unknown, held at Statens Museum for Kunst.

Who painted this?: Unknown
When & what style?: 1550
Where can I see it?: Statens Museum for Kunst

About this work

This painting shows a woman holding a naked baby while two other people stand close by. Above them, two small angel babies float with wings. The woman wears a red dress with a blue cloak. The two standing figures are dressed in fancy, patterned robes—one red and gold, the other green and gold. Their faces look calm, and the baby’s face is soft and round. The woman holding the child is likely a religious figure, often seen in paintings from this time. The angels above might be there to show this scene is holy. The bright colors and gold details stand out against the dark background. Look up chiaroscuro to see how artists use light and shadow like this.